A Christmas Carol Essay

Alternative transcript:

to Come takes Scrooge. He describes it to 'reek' with 'crime, with filth and misery,' this tells us that the poor had to live in circumstances that were filled with disease and 'misery'. The verb 'reeked' shows that some places in Victorian London were crowded. As a result, there was a vast amount of crime that it actually 'reeked' of it. Dickens attempts to educate his readers by showing that the poor have little ways to maintain survival other than to commit crimes, once again showcasing the suffering of the poor. In the extract, Scrooge and his nephew are conversing when Fred mentions Christmas and Scrooge reacts ignorantly. He reacts to Fred's comment by saying, 'What right do you have to be merry? You're poor enough.' displaying the common stereotype that people in poverty were lazy and sad. Dickens uses the Cratchits to contradict the stereotype as the Cratchit family are known in the novella for being hard-working benevolent and jocund members of society despite being affected by social injustice, the class divide and poverty. Once again in the extract, after Fred's mention of Christmas, Scrooge is quick to reply with 'Bah!' and 'Humbug!' the phrase 'Bah humbug' is commonly used to show a dislike to something. Considering Scrooge's constant use of this phrase throughout the extract and the novella, we can see that he has a tendency to be dismissive in situations that involve philanthropy. For example, when he refuses to give money to the poor when approached by the portly gentlemen, or the fact that he doesn't give Bob Cratchit a sufficient working wage. This might be the case because Dickens wants to express that in order for the suffering of the poor to decrease, there needs to be a change in attitude from people higher on the social hierarchy. This may be the reason why Dickens exaggerates Scrooge's mindset and beliefs. He attempts to share his socially conscious message and make his readers aware that no matter how extreme a person is, they still could change. Finally, in the novella, Scrooge is introduced to Ignorance and Want. Scrooge is told to beware of them both but mostly of ignorance. He is told that written on ignorance is 'doom'. This may mean that by the upper class ignoring the ongoing issues around them that surround those in destitute, the effects of their suffering could eventually be the doom or downfall of society as a whole. By including the introduction to Ignorance and Want, Dickens effectively warns his readers of the possible product of ignoring the suffering of the poor. In conclusion, by keeping the suffering of the poor a common theme in 'A Christmas Carol', Dickens has successfully presented the suffering of the poor as a key theme demonstrated through Scrooge and his relationship as well as his journey in the novella.